1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to fixtures and devices for supporting and positioning window curtains and draperies and in particular to a universal support device for supporting various lengths of curtain and/or drapery material or fabric in an unlimited number of different decorative treatment arrangements.
2. The Prior Art
Curtain and drapery fixtures, traverse rods, supports, ring bars and the like are known which are designed to support, shape, arrange and position curtains or drapes in an orderly and specific manner. With these prior-art devices, little or no variation in window treatment appearance is possible except by (i) substitution of different-colored or different-lengthed curtains or drapes which would still be supported in the specific manner dictated by the design of the support elements, or by (ii) replacing the support elements with ones designed to create a specific but different window treatment appearance.
Other support devices are known which will cause unpleated curtains or drapes to assume a pleated or folded position when affixed to such supports, but again there is little variation possible in the overall appearance of the window treatment as substitute drapes will still appear pleated and folded drapes will still appear folded, even though their length or color may be changed.
In these prior-art devices, it is customary to mount a separate support element for draperies, for valances, for sheers and the like, resulting in a plurality of mounting devices of different types and lengths all being mounted at the top of the area being decorated. Utilization of a number of mounting elements at a single area or location is expensive, the mounting elements are crowded closely together, usually one in front of the other, and difficulty is encountered in installing and removing the various materials for cleaning.